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Page 229
however, before we sleep. Oxford, as you might have noticed if you were not too busy killing sows, did not join the hunt."
"First of all, I did not swear I would not hunt," Alinor began heatedly. "All I said was"
"Never mind that now." Ian said quite unfairly. "Oxford, as we both knew, came for a purpose, and he laid it before me while you were out. What does on your Irish lands, Alinor?"
"What does not?" Alinor remarked disgustedly, at once abandoning argument in favor of business. "My chief vassal there is one Sir Brian de Marnay, and until three years ago we had no trouble. The lands were never of great profit. The people are rude and the country largely untilled. Simon went therelet me see, it was just before Joanna was bornto see why so much land yielded so little profit. He was well received and confirmed that Sir Brian seemed loyal enough and that no more could be wrested from the land without doing more harm than good. Then our dear king appointed this madman Meiler FitzHenry as justiciar, and all went awry. He has driven the lesser barons into so determined a revolt that de Marnay can do nothing with them. Now rather than little, I receive nothing. Sir Brian wrote to Simon begging for help, but that was after Simon fell ill, and I did not even show him the letter."
"That was right. You could do no other way. Alinor"
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. My heart ruled my head there, for Simon could at least have advised Sir Brian on the best tactics, which might have been of help. However, I could not bear that he should know he was called upon for help and unable to go. He fretted so much over his helplessness. So I told Sir Brian what had happened and begged him to do his best. I think he does. Simon said he was an honest man, and Simon was not easily befooled. Nonetheless, things go from bad to worse. I do not wish to let the lands go, yetI have a

 
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